JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Workplace practices develop over time, through experience, and often under the influence of a specific workplace culture. These practices can be both, good and bad, safe and unsafe. They are referred to as “the way we do things round here,” which become norms. Unfortunately, such practices follow unwritten rules or behaviors, which deviate from the required rules, procedures and instructions. These norms can then be enforced through peer pressure and force of habit. It is important to understand that most norms have not been designed to meet all circumstances and, therefore, are not adequately tested against potential threats. They also lack flexibility when the broader situation changes. Norms that were good enough on fourth generation fighters may not work for fifth generation aircraft, especially when every mistake costs much more to repair.
Compliance with regulatory guidance should be the first norm in any maintenance organization. Rules and procedures have been designed and tested and, therefore, ought to be enforced and followed rigorously. Where workers feel pressure to deviate from a procedure, or work around it, then this information should be fed back so the procedure can be reviewed and amended, if necessary.
Norms can be tough to challenge because they are often deeply entrenched in the culture of the organization. However, if a norm is creating a hazardous environment, don’t accept it. Study the written guidance and respectfully challenge the norm, using factual data wherever possible. This will require assertiveness and good communication, but if you’re new to the unit, you may be the only one who is still outside the culture enough to see the real risk the norm creates. This may mean you stay on the outside a little longer, which can be tough, but you may save a life. Change has to start somewhere with someone bold enough to ask tough questions.
Ultimately, if you have alerted your chain of command to unsafe norms without success, changing norms may require you to go outside of your unit. Consider talking to wing safety or the wing IG if needed rather than accept a hazardous situation.
Norms is just one of the aircraft maintenance Dirty Dozen. For the full list, click here: https://www.torch.aetc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3456436/the-dirty-dozen-common-human-error-factors-in-aircraft-maintenance-mishaps/
NOTE: Below is a link to the Airman Safety App (ASAP), which provides Airmen the opportunity to report safety-related risks and close calls using the Airman Safety Action Report. Anyone, anywhere, with almost any device can quickly and easily report safety-related problems involving personnel, equipment or property. Remain anonymous if you wish. Reporting is the first step to obtaining a solution for improvement. Reporting is simple and only takes between 3 and 10 minutes. Click on the link below to start your report. It’s fast and easy!
https://asap.safety.af.mil/#/